nt a nn hi ire y h st lts i i r ch e w : by kyl &
INtro
LOVE. This little word is loaded with baggage. Tons of it. And it’s bursting at the seams. You’ve collected some souvenirs and scars from past experiences with love. Each day you wade through the messages that flood your media-saturated landscape. Most of us have either unrealistic fantasies of Hollywood romance, or utter disillusionment with the very idea of love. No matter who you are, where you live, or what you do, you deal with love. This book will not talk about ooey-gooey love. It won’t deal with overexaggerated expressions of personal preference. This book will talk about life, significance, and joy… This book will steer you towards a much better book, your Bible. See, the Bible is jam-packed with true stories, songs, and promises kept. Love has been a common thread running throughout the pages of Scripture, a major theme since the beginning of time. God is the expert on love; this book is your crash course. Even though we’ve probably never met, I’m excited that you’ve decided to start this journey (through this book and through this life). Love is what both are about, really. A life of love is not easy, but I promise it’ll be worth everything you put into it. God has spoken amazing things in these 31 verses and through your new friends, Christy and Kyle (the writers). You’ll grow a little with each step you take. Some will be bigger than others. Others may seem obvious. There may even be a leap of faith or two. But, every step will get you moving in the right direction. God’s love is more than you could ever anticipate. So, hang on… Fellow Traveler,
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Jeremy Maxfield Editor
Now that you own this incredible little book, you may be wondering, “What do I do with it?” Glad you asked . . . The great thing about this book is that you can use it just about anyway you want.
HO TO W US E
It’s not a system. It’s a resource that can be used in ways that are as unique and varied as you are. A few suggestions . . . THE “ONE MONTH” PLAN On this plan, you’ll read one devotional each day for a month. This is a great way to immerse yourself in the Bible for a month-long period. (OK, we realize that every month doesn’t have 31 days. But 28 or 30 is close enough to 31, right?) The idea is to cover a lot of information in a short amount of time. THE “SCRIPTURE MEMORY” PLAN The idea behind this plan is to memorize the verse for each day’s devotional; you don’t move on to the next devotional until you have memorized the one you’re on. If you’re like most people, this might take you more than one day per devotional. So, this plan takes a slower approach. THE “I’M NO WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE” PLAN Don’t like to write or journal? This plan is for you . . . Listen, not everyone expresses themselves the same. If you don’t like to express yourself through writing, that’s OK. Simply read the devotional for each verse, then read the questions. Think about them. Pray through them. But don’t feel like you have to journal if you don’t want to. THE “STRENGTH IN NUMBERS” PLAN God designed humans for interaction. We are social creatures. How cool would it be if you could go through “31:Love” with your friends? Get a group of friends together. Consider agreeing to read five verses each week, then meeting to talk about it. Pretty simple, right? Choose a plan. Or make up your own. But get started already. What are you waiting on?
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E S R E V
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O EARD, N R HAS H PREPARED A E O N HAS EEN, AT GOD S 2:9 E HAS S “NO EY ONCEIVED WH CORINTHIAN C 1 S .” A MIND H WHO LOVE HIM E S O H T FOR
One of the best parts of going to the movies is the previews. You know how it works—that guy with the deep, gravelly voice starts off with “In a world . . . ” Then for about two and a half minutes things explode, music intensifies, plot details emerge, and finally you hear a closing line like, “Coming soon . . . the adventure of a lifetime!” While the preview may look awesome, the movie is usually a mildly entertaining diversion rather than the adventure you were hoping for. Too many people end up experiencing life the same way they do most movies. It starts off with great promise, but turns out to be unsatisfying. Sure there were some good parts, but it could have been so much more. How can we experience the adventure that life is supposed to be? Check out what the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 2:6-9. Corinth was a popular place, full of rich and successful people. But many soon realized that the world’s promises didn’t deliver the life they hoped for; actually, things were getting pretty bad. In verse 9, the Apostle Paul wrote that loving God leads to a life greater than anything we can imagine. How can we tell this isn’t just more hype?
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Look back at verses 6-8. Paul said that when we love Christ above everything else, we gain a new perspective that changes everything. The wisdom of God isn’t head knowledge from a textbook; it’s something you experience through the power of His Holy Spirit living inside you. You become a new person. You see things differently, hear God calling you to step out in faith, and trust that He’s got you when you jump. That’s the adventure of a lifetime—a life and love that your eyes, ears, and mind can’t even comprehend.
ref le ct 1. WHY DO YOU THINK SO MANY PEOPLE SEEM SO UNSATISFIED WITH THEIR LIVES?
2. VERSE 6 SAYS THE WISDOM AND RULERS OF THIS AGE ARE “COMING TO NOTHING.” WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? WHAT IS THE FATAL FLAW IN FOLLOWING THE WORLD’S PROMISES?
3. THE ADVENTURE GOD HAS PREPARED FOR YOU HINGES ON WHETHER YOU RESPOND TO HIM IN LOVE. SO, HOW ARE YOU LOVING GOD WITH YOUR LIFE? BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF, AND AVOID CLICHÉ ANSWERS.
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verse 2
“THOUGH THE MOUNTAINS BE SHAKEN AND REMOVED, YE THE HILLS BE T MY UNFAILIN G LOVE FOR YO SHAKEN NOR U WILL NOT BE MY COVENANT OF PEACE BE THE LORD, WH REMOVED,” SA O HAS COMPA YS SSION ON YOU. ISAIAH 54:10 Who was your best friend in second grade? Who was the first super-athlete you can remember? What was your favorite TV show when you were 10? All of these things are probably different today (though these memories may still hold great sentimental value). Ever wonder why things change so much? Sometimes change is for the better; other times it’s disappointing. Occasionally it’s hurtful, but mostly it’s just different. Change is woven into the fabric of being a teenager. Your voice changes, your body changes, your likes and dislikes change. Seems as if everything changes. Do you ever have moments when you wish something . . . anything . . . in your life was constant? Read Isaiah 54:9-10. Here, God reassures His people of His love. The prophet Isaiah had the “fun” job of telling God’s people about the serious consequences of their sin. The result was time spent in exile from their native land. (I can almost guarantee that Isaiah’s best friend from second grade wasn’t hanging out with him after that!) But then Isaiah got to share some great news. God chose to renew His covenant promise with the Israelites, telling them that His love would remain longer than the mountains that populated the Judean countryside.
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So what does this mean to us thousands of years later? The mountains are still there, right? The promise that God gave to the Israelites, He also gives to us. In a world that may seem to spin out of control, God is right there. Though we may experience difficult times, His peace never leaves us. Though everything around us may seem as if it’s falling apart, God’s love and faithfulness never change. He won’t move, retire, get replaced, become outdated, or outgrown. . . . Nothing changes God’s love. Nothing. Following Him doesn’t guarantee an easy life, but His peace and love will never fail us.
REFLECT
1. WHAT ARE SOME EVENTS IN YOUR LIFE THAT HAVE SHAKEN YOU? HOW DID GOD HELP YOU THROUGH THESE SITUATIONS?
2. HOW WILL YOU HELP OTHERS KNOW GOD’S UNFAILING AND UNCHANGING LOVE?
3. GOD REVEALED HIS LOVE FOR ISRAEL EVEN THROUGH DISCIPLINE. HOW HAS GOD SHOWN HIS LOVE FOR YOU THROUGH DISCIPLINE, AND WHAT LASTING DIFFERENCE DID IT MAKE?
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